virtuosity
noun
vir·tu·os·i·ty
ˌvər-chü-ˈä-sə-tē 
plural virtuosities
1
: great technical skill (as in the practice of a fine art)
2
: a taste for or interest in virtu
Did you know?
Virtuosity is used particularly to describe musicians, but also often for writers, actors, dancers, and athletes. A virtuoso is a highly skilled performer, and a virtuoso performance is one that astonishes the audience by its feats. In ancient Greece the cities would hold male competitions in acrobatics, conjuring, public reciting, blowing the trumpet, and acting out scenes from Homer's epics, the winners of which would have been praised as virtuous, or "full of manly virtues".
Examples of virtuosity in a Sentence
Her virtuosity on the piano is amazing.
Recent Examples on the Web
But riskiness comes at a price: For all their virtuosity, his films have yet to break through to the mainstream.
—
Daniel D'addario, Variety, 4 Oct. 2024
Added to that, this collection also reflects Lewis’ sporting side, his virtuosity and our functionality.
—Felicity Carter, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2024
Shot in a stunning oner that shines a light on real-life figures like bandleader Snakehips Johnson, this marvelous aside is vintage McQueen in both its virtuosity and its use of music to bring history back to life — Sam Mendes could never.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 10 Oct. 2024
Madison is a prodigy of energy and transformative virtuosity, Eydelshteyn delivers an unusual blend of whimsy and pathos, and Borisov displays a soulful gravitas that fills the screen.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for virtuosity 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Daniel D'addario, Variety, 4 Oct. 2024
Added to that, this collection also reflects Lewis’ sporting side, his virtuosity and our functionality.
—Felicity Carter, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2024
Shot in a stunning oner that shines a light on real-life figures like bandleader Snakehips Johnson, this marvelous aside is vintage McQueen in both its virtuosity and its use of music to bring history back to life — Sam Mendes could never.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 10 Oct. 2024
Madison is a prodigy of energy and transformative virtuosity, Eydelshteyn delivers an unusual blend of whimsy and pathos, and Borisov displays a soulful gravitas that fills the screen.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for virtuosity
Dictionary Entries Near virtuosity
Cite this Entry
“Virtuosity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/virtuosity. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
virtuosity
noun
vir·tu·os·i·ty
ˌvər-chə-ˈwäs-ət-ē
plural virtuosities
: great performing ability in the fine arts
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share